i love a hand that meets my own with a grasp that causes some sensation ~ s. osgood

don’t you just love when you meet an old friend ~ you grab hold of each other’s hands, almost as if to melt away the time that has passed since the last moment you connected? you can ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll assure you that i love hugs ~ really love them, so to me, this hand-grasping gesture is basically two hands giving a loving hug to two more.

banana bread 

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 5 bananas, 4 smashed ~ 1 reserved for later use
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp poppy seed

preheat oven to 350 degrees; line loaf pans with parchment paper, spray bottom of paper with non-stick spray. 

sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl; whisk in poppy seeds. set aside

mix sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with hand mixer on medium speed; add eggs, bananas, vanilla and buttermilk, beat on low speed until creamy; stir in flour mixture, just until moistened; pour into prepared pans. slice remaining banana lengthwise down the center, placing one half along the top of banana bread batter, sprinkle with raw sugar.

bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes; remove from oven, let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove bread (still in parchment) onto another wire rack to cool completely ~ enjoy, v